Professional Driver Enrichment

Fatigue Program

Fatigue Management - Online Program

The Michigan Center for Truck safety provides an online interactive fatigue program that lays out the complexities of driver fatigue and provides countermeasures to use in combating and overcoming fatigue. When commercial drivers are fatigued, they are at a substantially higher risk of crashes resulting in death or serious injury. Fatigue may result from; inadequate rest, sleep loss, and/or disrupted sleep, from stress, excessive physical activity, and excessive mental and/or cognitive work.

Completing the online program will:

•Establish awareness of the affects of fatigue on the driver’s ability to operate a commercial vehicle safely

•Establish awareness of the most important factors that contribute to fatigue

Professional Driver Coaching

(Driver Performance Measurement - no cost)

Do your drivers increase or decrease the likelihood of collisions? If you aren't sure, personal coaching can help. Drivers receive one-on-one attention on the road with a professional driving coach to enhance and encourage their skillful driving performance.

The program is designed to evaluate driver behaviors or responses compared to a standardized list of observable behaviors specific to location and traffic situation. Those behavior patters that meet the demands of traffic situations and reduce hazard or likelihood of a crash are satisfactory, whereas behavior patterns that increase hazard and the likelihood of a crash are unsatisfactory.

During the one-hour session, drivers will receive positive reinforcement of their good driving skills, as well as constructive feedback on opportunities for improved habits. At the conclusion of the session, a final evaluation is shared verbally with the driver and in written form with the company.

The Center has a number of established courses around the state. There is no charge for this training.

If you are interested in the Driver Performance Measurement training contact the Lansing office at (800) 682-4682 for lower Michigan or the Escanaba office at (800) 469-7364 for the Upper Peninsula.

Defensive Driving Course for Professional Truck Drivers

National Safety Council (no cost)

The Defensive Driving Course was developed and certified by the National Safety Council to teach and encourage defensive driving strategies to professional truck drivers. This free, four-hour* session may be scheduled and conducted at your office to provide you flexibility in meeting your safety needs. (Minimum of 10 participants required)

The course is divided into 5 sessions with each building on knowledge learned in a previous session and includes opportunities to to discuss the information presented. All relevant CDL information used in these sessions relies on the U.S. Department of Transportation as the source.

Check our calendar for programs scheduled that have room for additional students and register online. If you want to schedule a defensive driving program for your drivers, call 800-682-4682 or email us for availability.

** This program contain 4 hours of material, including video's. The 4 hour time frame is extended by breaks and lunches.

This course addresses the following core defensive driving concepts:

Defensive driving

Preventable collisions

Personal responsibility and driving to protect others

Hazard recognition

The three factors that contribute to collisions:

Driver

Vehicle

Conditions

The driving environment:

Light conditions

Weather conditions

Road conditions

Traffic conditions

Other drivers

Choosing safe and legal behaviors

Simulator

Michigan Center for Truck Safety's Mobile Truck Simulator Program

Imagine this.... you are driving on a two way undivided road, you look down at the radio and when you look up, a vehicle has crossed the center-line and is headed toward you. If you are driving a heavy truck, your next action will most likely determine if the occupants of that vehicle will survive. Would you make the right decision? Drivers attending the Emergency Maneuvers course offered in our simulator know what the right decision is because they get to practice this and other potentially fatal circumstances without any risk of personal injury or property damage.

The Center's Mobile Truck Simulator offers training to commercial drivers ranging from very specific collision avoidance techniques all the way to basic hazard perception methods. Simulators offer a controlled, risk-free environment in which virtually any scenario can be recreated and practiced.

Training courses are offered at no cost to Michigan companies and drivers. Each class is One to two hours in length and cover one of the following areas:

Circles of influence (decision making, hazard perception)

Adverse conditions (bad weather, low visibility)

Emergency maneuvers (vehicle control, collision avoidance)

Space management (following distance, space cushion)

Speed management (vehicle handling, stopping distance)

Classes are available throughout the State of Michigan (schedule Permitting). There is at least one individual qualified to instruct classes in the simulator.